The temptation in the wilderness is the first test of Jesus' public ministry. Immediately after His baptism, "Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry" (Matthew 4:1-2). The forty days deliberately echo Israel's forty years in the wilderness — Jesus is the true Israel, succeeding where Israel failed. The devil tempted Him three times: (1) "Command that these stones become bread" (4:3) — the temptation to use divine power for self-satisfaction, to put physical need above obedience. Jesus answered with Deuteronomy 8:3: "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (2) "Throw Yourself down" from the pinnacle of the temple (4:6) — the temptation to force God's hand, to demand a miraculous sign instead of walking by faith. The devil even quoted Psalm 91. Jesus answered with Deuteronomy 6:16: "You shall not tempt the LORD your God." (3) "All these kingdoms of the world... I will give to You" if Jesus would bow down to worship the devil (4:8-9) — the temptation to take a shortcut to the crown without the cross. Jesus answered with Deuteronomy 6:13: "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve." Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him. The three temptations map onto "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16) — the three points at which Adam fell, Israel fell, and every man since has fallen. Jesus faced them all and stood. He is the last Adam, the true Israel, the sinless representative who can now be the Savior of everyone who has fallen. Every believer fighting temptation has a Lord who fought first and won.